Books and Characters We Love
“Books with a Meaningful Quotes and What They Mean to Me” by Abigail D., 8th grade
The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton
“Stay gold, Ponyboy, stay gold”
What this quote means to me is that the love and care Jonny was giving to Ponyboy even when he was in his last few moments he still made sure that his last words were meant for Ponyboy. This story line has impacted me in so many ways where it’s not even describeable to explain how much this book changed me but in the best way possible.
It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
“And no matter what you do or how hard you try, you can’t stop yourself from dreaming.”
What this quote means to me is that there is always still hope and faith at the end even when it gets tough there’s always light at the end of the tunnel. You just need faith and believe in yourself that you can do anything if you put your mind to it.
Always and Forever, Lara Jean by Jenny Han
“Peter and Lara Jean will always tell each other the truth even if it’s hard.”
What this quote means to me is that their love is so strong and they know it may be hard but they’ll get through it together because they have earned trust in each other that makes their relationship so strong. Their bond is something unbreakable and to cherish every moment of.
The Cartoonists Club by Raina Telgemeier and Scott McCloud
“Drawing some kinds of feelings might mean mixing in both facial expressions and body language.”
What this quote means to me is that they are showing feelings in many different forms which shows creativity which I admire so much. Finding your interest through many styles is something that is hard but is something that is capable of achieving.
Guts by Raina Telgemeier
“It takes guts to face your fears.”
What this quote means to me is that you may be scared or afraid to face things you may be scared, anxious, or nervous about but you need to have faith in yourself that you can do it. Trust your gut. I believe that you never know until you try and what this book shows is that you have to trust yourself and give things a try.
Real Friends by Shannon Hale
“Growing up means things change.”
What this quote means to me is that as you grow, things can’t always stay the same forever. Change in people’s life can be handled in multiple ways but that’s how you move forward in life. You have to take risks to know what is the right thing to do and if it ends in the other direction, you always learn from your mistakes.
When Stars Are Scattered by Victoria Jamieson and Omar Mohamed
“Those who are lost look to the stars that lead them home.”
What this quote means to me is that home doesn’t always have to be a place, it could also be a person. Having your home as a person can mean multiple things such as family, friends, etc.
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
“Something happens when you smile at people. They smile back.”
What this quote means to me is that showing kindness to people can make someone’s whole day brighter. Having something so little just as a friendly smile can impact a lot more than you know.
Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney
“Be yourself and people will like you.”
What this quote means to me is that people have to learn and acknowledge you to know the true you, not just the image you show but the other factors you have. Being your true self is a way to find people with the same interest you do.
All Summer Long by Hope Larson
“Okay, but do you know that feeling when you hear a great song, and it’s like the song knows you? That’s what music is for.”
What this quote means to me is that when I listen to something that I enjoy, it’s relaxing and makes me feel more at peace. Finding something that makes you feel so relaxed and calm is so nice, especially with music. With music you listen to a sound or beat and it’s all you can hear in the world.
“Thriller Books That Are Actually Good For Middle Schoolers” by Ranim A., 8th grade
If you think thriller books are all super scary or violent or just “ too much “, that’s not really true. There are actually a lot of thriller and mystery books that are really good for middle schoolers. They still have suspense, and plot twists, but without anything too inappropriate.
In my opinion, thriller books are some of the best books to read at this age because they keep you interested. Like, instead of forcing yourself to read something you don’t like, you actually want to know what happens next.
Why Thriller Books Are Actually Good For Middle Schoolers
Thrillers aren’t just for entertaining, they’re actually pretty helpful too.
- They make you think and solve clues
- They improve problem solving skills
- They keep you interested in reading
- They help you understand characters and decisions
A lot of middle grade thrillers are written specifically for ages 11-14, meaning they avoid graphic content and keep things appropriate while still being exciting.
Also these types of books usually focus more on mystery, puzzles, and adventure instead of anything too intense or mature.
What Makes A Thriller “Age Appropriate?”
Before recommending books, it’s important to understand what makes them okay for middle schoolers :
- Language is appropriate
- Romance ( or if any it would be pretty limited )
- Focuses on mostly mystery and adventure
This is why middle grade thrillers are different from older teen thrillers. They’re exciting but not overwhelming.
Best Thriller Books For Middle Schoolers
Here are some really good options that are popular and are actually pretty enjoyable:
Framed! by James Ponti
- About a kid who solves mysteries using observation skills
- Feels like a detective story but fun and recent
- Easy to read but still really interesting
This book is great because it focuses on solving puzzles instead of anything scary or inappropriate
Murder Most Unladylike by Robin Stevens
- Set in a boarding school
- Two girls start a detective club
- They investigate a suspicious death
Even though it sounds pretty intense, it’s written in a lighter, more “ cozy mystery “ way so it’s still appropriate for younger readers.
The Jumbies by Tracie Baptiste
- Super creepy but also really fun
- Based on Caribbean folklore
- A girl has to face mysterious creatures
This book is a perfect example of a thriller that’s scary but not too scary. It’s described as having “ just the right amount of scary for middle schoolers “.
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
- A spooky mystery involving a strange book and a creepy farm
- Strong main character
- Lots of suspense
It’s popular because it mixes mystery and horror in a way that’s still appropriate for middle school readers.
Swipe by Evan Angler
- Set in a futuristic world
- Kids have to decide whether to follow a strict system
- Includes mystery and rebellion
This one is more of a thriller with action and deeper ideas, but it’s still written for middle grade readers.
Mostly Ghostly series by R.L. Stine
- About a boy who can see ghosts
- Mix of mystery, humor, and suspense
- Not too scary, more fun than terrifying
This series is actually made for ages 11-14 so it’s right in the middle school range.
Why These Books Work
All of these books have something in common :
- They keep you guessing
- They’re exciting but not appropriate
- They focus on story not shock
Thriller books for middle schoolers are designed to build interest in reading. They give you that feeling like “ what happens next? “ without crossing content that’s too mature.
Final Thoughts
Overall, thriller books are honestly one of the best genres for middle schoolers. They’re not boring, they’re not too childish, and they actually make reading fun.
If someone says “ they don’t like reading “ I feel like they just haven’t found the right thriller yet. Once you find a good one, it’s really hard to stop.
So yeah thrillers aren’t just for adults. There are tons of age appropriate ones out there that are exciting, interesting, and are actually worth reading.
“Ten Book Characters I Would Want to Be Friends With” by Nicolle D., 6th grade
My New Life As a Cat: A character I would want to be friends with in My New Life as a Cat is Chika because she’s so sweet she’s so gentle with Nao. And her friends seem so cool. I hundred percent want to be friends with Chika and her friend group her friends seem so cool and nice.
Phoebe And Her Unicorn In The Magic Storm: A character I would want to be friends with in Phoebe and Her Unicorn in the Magical Storm is the dragon. The reason I would want to be friends with the dragons is that the dragon was so gentle and sweet and had to have someone understand her.
Places We’ve Never Been: A character I would want to be friends with in Places We’ve Never Been. He cared for Norah so much but Norah was already interested in Skyler. Tyler helped her out so much he was so sweet. Tyler understood her and that’s a good friend even if she doesnt like him he still understood her.
Take a Chance On Me: A character I would want to be friends with in Take a Chance on Me is Poppy. Poppy was Evie’s dads ex ex-girlfriend but she cared about Evie like she was her own daughter and talked to her when things were going down for Evie and I would want to be friends with someone who will be there for me.
Dork Diaries: I Love Paris!: A character I would want to be friends with in Dork Diaries is Nicky. I would like to be friends with Nicky so I can go to Paris with her and Nicky is very sweet so she would be nice to hangout with especially in Paris.
Ghoulfriends Forever: A character I would like to be friends with in Ghoulfriends Forever is Frankie. I would want to be friends with Frankie because she’s so cool and I would love to join her on her adventures.
Invisible: A character I would want to be friends with is all of the characters. I want to be friends with all of them because I can help them help Lisa and her mom. Plus everyone in that group is so nice.
The Dot: I would want to be friends with the girl in the end of The Dot to teach her about art in the most creative ways. She had the same story as the main character she thought she could never draw, but I could be friends with her and show her.
Dog Man: Dog Man is a really nice guy and I would want to be friends with him because I’d love to help the world with him. He has saved so many lives and i could join him with his adventures.
Wimpy Kid: Hot Mess: I would like to be friends with the famous dog. She was such a classy girl, and I would love to gain fame. Maybe we can make an account together and post together. We could go on little trips!
“My Top 5 Books and Why” by Aseel H., 6th grade
Blood in the Water by Tiffany D. Jackson
Why I personally chose this book as my favorite of all time is because it was one of the first books that I actually really loved and couldn’t wait to keep reading and reading, that book was probably the only thing I even wanted to do and the first book that took me only 3 days to finish and its actually rare for that but for this book I don’t even know how to describe it cause I haven’t always been a fan of books but if I can I would make all my books that I read be like this one because my actually love for this book is crazy and shocking especially for me I mean I didn’t really expect it to be this good but it really is and I just have no words to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book
All Fall Down by Ally Carter
Why I like this book is because basically Grace is a complex, often nervous and, at times, unreliable narrator who is dealing with trauma, making her journey to find her mother’s killer deeply compelling and “unflinching”. The plot is full of twists and turns, often leaving readers guessing about the truth of Grace’s claims and the true nature of the characters around her. Its kinda basically A strong, eclectic group of teenagers aids in breaking down the mystery, and that’s why I love the book so much
The Miscalculations Of Lighting Girl by Stacy McAnulty
Why I like this book a lot is because like basically its about a girl named Lucy Callanan that was struck by lighting but instead of dying she survived and also got genius level math skills, and ever since that day she has been home schooled, (I mean she’s 12 but she could actually go to college for how smart she is so yeah), and I just loved the book because of everything that happened and just the book in general, I mean I just have no wards to describe how much I enjoyed reading this book and for a fact that’s kinda rare for me to say.
Jacky Ha Ha by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
Why I enjoyed reading this book is because I read this book in my summer before middle school and then I really had no interest in books then but that was the first book that I actually enjoyed for a long time ( that was probably the only one I enjoyed cause like i said before i had no interest ) and just me waiting to open the book without someone forcing me to is also one of the reasons I really enjoyed this book cause I wanted to open the book and read I wanted to finish it nobody made me I wanted and that is just rare for me to want that so that’s probably why I really enjoyed this book.
Dork Diaries Crush Catastrophe by Rachel Renée Russell
Why really liked this book is because like basically its like it has so many things stuff happening in the story like high-stakes romantic drama, relatable middle-school stuff and with her having to go through a love triangle and that without all this stuff in the story it wouldn’t be as good and why I choose this book out of the whole series is like that it was hard but because there’s so many stuff in the story that make the story really amazing and thats why I choose this one for the one I enjoyed a lot .
“My Top 10 Characters and Why” by Aseel H., 6th grade
Jacky Hart
Why I choose this character as my favorite is because I like the way she lives life, her personality, her style for life and how she growing beyond her need to make others laugh, and that she’s funny, relatable , and that she learns how to be more than just the class clown and that without her I feel like the story wouldn’t be amazing.
Grace, Noah, and Alexei
Why I liked this character is because Grace isn’t a typical girl; she struggled with trauma because of her mothers death and because she thinks it was a murder. Even though everyone around her believes she’s “ crazy “ she still tries to find the truth about her mother. She’s determined, reckless, emotionally scarred, fearless and brave and that without her the story wouldn’t be how it is.
Why I liked this character is because Noah is described as an engaging and enthusiastic person who quickly bonds with grace, and when everyone else wants to avoid grace he becomes a loyal “best friend”, even while grace is surrounded by danger and Noah is still here and always tries to cheer grace up. He is hilarious, charming, and fiercely loyal character, cheerful and supportive and without him the story wouldn’t be that good.
Why I liked this character is because Alexei is fiercely protective of Grace, stemming from his loyalty to her family and their shared childhood friendship. He acts as a “sworn watcher,” keeping a close eye on her, often acting as an older brother figure. He is the charming, protective, and mysterious Russian “bad boy” who provides intense romantic tension and is very loyal to grace even though he provides a “brother-sister” bond that adds depth to their romance, and that the story wouldn’t be the same if he wasn’t in it.
Chadwick and Miles
Why I liked this character is because for chadwick in the story Blood in the Water, we didn’t really have much of him because he was murdered but while he was in the story he was really charismatic, popular, and welcoming teenage boy who helps protagonist Kaylani fit in, making his shocking death pivotal to the mystery , As Chadwick whose death drives the investigation, his charm is remembered throughout the story, highlighting the tragedy of the event. He is kind and welcoming, helpful and knowledgeable, and popular, and that even though he was barely in the story the parts he was in did really impact the story in a great way.
Why I liked this character is because Miles is the brother of Chadwick and he has to navigate through trauma while giving comfort to kanlani and also that miles isn’t snobby like most of the kids at that place. Throughout all of that Miles was a heartwarming friend, relatable, resilient, supportive, emotionally deep and most importantly, a loyal friend.
Stacy
Why I liked this character is because Stacy moved to Stoneybrook from New York City but didn’t take too long of time to make friends, but other than that Stacy wasn’t a normal teenage girl, she had type 1 diabetes, but that didn’t stop her from doing the amazing stuff she did, though what i like about her is her style and that in the stories manly some new york kids are like snobby but shes not shes a really nice person . She is mature, slightly sassy, she’s someone who brings a bold, cheerful energy to the group while managing Type 1 diabetes, she also a math whiz, resilient, responsible and most importantly she’s a loyal friend.
Nikki
Why I liked this character is because Nikki isn’t your normal school girl; she’s more of a down to earth person. Nikki represents the “everygirl” who is not in the popular crowd, making her experiences with insecurity and navigating school life feel real. She often puts everything she does in her diary, although she struggled with confidence she was able to stand up for herself. While she goes through all the drama at school that goes with her bully her friends, her home and most importantly her crush Brandon. She is highly relatable, artistic, kind, imaginative, a talented artist, self-proclaimed “dork,” over-dramatic, emotional, thoughtful, and, most importantly, a caring friend.
Nico
Why I liked this character is because Nico Pineda, one of the five kids in the book. He is a Venezuelan American boy who initially presents as a “stuck-up rich kid,” but proves to be a caring and empathetic friend. At the beginning of the story, Nico appears to be lazy and arrogant, acting indifferent to the mandatory community service work and sometimes acting like a bully to deflect attention away from himself, though by the end He moves beyond his selfish persona to become instrumental in helping others, such as helping Celeste find a job and get necessary aid.
Thank you so much to my student voices today and their look at books and characters they love!
